New Director of Multilingual Learners for Fall River Public Schools announced

Fall River, MA — Superintendent Dr. Tracy Curley has announced the new Director of Multilingual Learners for Fall River Public Schools.

Kelly Ann Cooney is returning to the district after previously serving as Director of English Learners in Fall River Public Schools.

According to FRPS, Cooney is a nationally recognized instructional leader with more than 25 years of experience and brings deep expertise in culturally and linguistically sustaining practices, multilingual education systems, and language-focused curriculum and instruction. In addition to her prior work in Fall River, she has held district leadership roles in Southbridge and Nantucket. Her professional experience also includes state- and national-level initiatives through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, WIDA, and several national organizations.

Throughout her career, Cooney has focused on strengthening instruction for multilingual learners, aligning curriculum to WIDA standards, supporting educators through high-quality professional learning, and improving outcomes for multilingual learners and their families, according to the district.

Superintendent Dr. Curley said, “I am so happy that Kelly is returning to the Fall River Public Schools. She is a thoughtful, student-centered leader, and I am confident that her return will elevate the experiences of our multilingual learners and their families. I look forward to seeing her working alongside our educators across the district.”

Cooney will begin her role on January 12th, 2026.

Reflecting on her return to Fall River, Ms. Cooney said, “Fall River’s multilingual students and families bring strong linguistic, cultural, and academic strengths that enrich teaching and learning across our schools. I am honored to serve this community and thrilled to join a leadership team that views multilingualism as a strength and is committed to building instructional systems that honor students’ full identities.”